Edward Lee
Professor of the Graduate School and Robert S. Pepper Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Department at UC Berkeley. Ph.D. - UC Berkeley.


The philosophy of science is the branch of philosophy that deals with the foundations, methods, and implications of science. It is a broad field that encompasses a wide range of issues and questions, including the nature of scientific reasoning, the relationship between science and society, and the limits of scientific knowledge.

One of the main issues in the philosophy of science is the nature of scientific reasoning. This includes questions about the validity of scientific methods, such as experimentation and observation, and the criteria for determining the truth of scientific claims. It also includes questions about the relationship between scientific theories and the evidence that supports them.

Another important issue in the philosophy of science is the relationship between science and society. This includes questions about the role of science in shaping society, the relationship between science and politics, and the ethical implications of scientific research.

A third issue in the philosophy of science is the nature of scientific explanation. This includes questions about the relationship between theories and the phenomena that they explain, and the criteria for determining the adequacy of scientific explanations.

A fourth issue in the philosophy of science is the nature of scientific progress. This includes questions about the criteria for determining the progress of science, and the relationship between scientific progress and the growth of scientific knowledge.

A fifth issue in the philosophy of science is the relationship between science and other forms of knowledge, such as mathematics, logic, and philosophy. This includes questions about the relationship between scientific theories and other forms of knowledge, and the limits of scientific knowledge.

A sixth issue in the philosophy of science is the nature of scientific realism, which is the view that scientific theories are an accurate representation of the real world. This includes questions about the relationship between scientific theories and the world they describe, and the criteria for determining the realism of scientific theories.

A seventh issue in the philosophy of science is the nature of scientific uncertainty, which refers to the limitations of scientific knowledge and the inherent uncertainty in scientific predictions. This includes questions about the relationship between scientific uncertainty and the limits of scientific knowledge, and the implications of scientific uncertainty for decision making.

Overall, the philosophy of science is a broad and interdisciplinary field that deals with the foundations, methods, and implications of science. It provides a theoretical framework for understanding the nature of science and its relationship to society, and it plays a critical role in shaping our understanding of the world.